Life Starts Here
by Lindsey2
Summary: The lives of Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Rachel and Ross are turned upside down when Chandler joins Lincoln High..chapter 5
1. too much 'as usual'

:maybe I'm mad, a little crazy, because I barely have time to finish my other fanfics, let alone start another one. I keep getting ill, and just when I think I'm better, I'm ill again - like last week when my parents thought they were going to have to call the doctor out at 10pm! I'm better now, just in time for christmas, things are quite busy! However, I had this idea, and I wish to start here while it's fresh. It's a High School A/U, and instead of focusing on _just_ M/C, I'm going to concentrate on other characters too! It's going to be a bit of everything, so that's why it's just called 'General'.****

**Life Starts Here**

**Chapter One – Too much 'as usual'**

Chandler looked at the blackboard in front of him, his eyes glazing over. He couldn't think of a more pointless subject than Geography. If he _really_ wanted to know where Uruguay was, he could just get out an atlas and look it up. Unfortunately, Chandler's atlas was at home in New York. You couldn't keep an atlas at boarding school unless you wanted it defaced by the end of the first day.

He looked sideways and noticed the geek of the class, a kid called Roger, sitting bolt upright staring at the teacher with a look of adoration. It was no secret that Roger had a crush on Miss Finch – hell _all_ the boys did – but there was crushes and then there was _crushes_. Roger was infatuated with the woman.

Chandler stifled a laugh as he watched Roger shoot his hand up to answer a question Miss Finch had just asked. He craned his neck to see Roger's notebook, it had all the answers to the previous night's homework. As usual, Chandler hadn't bothered to do the assignment. He looked down at his own notebook. Several phrases along the lines of 'the knicks rule all' were in the margins – it was the most work he had done since Senior Year had started two weeks ago.

Miss Finch had turned her back to the class now and was writing on the board. Chandler tapped his chin thoughtfully. All he needed to do was create a distraction somehow so he could switch notebooks with Roger without anyone seeing. Just one little distraction…

He leaned over his desk and tapped his friend, Kip, on the shoulder. Kip turned around and frowned at him questioningly. Chandler quickly scribbled something on a scrap of paper and passed it to him. He waited for Kip to read the message, and he noticed a faint grin passing over his friend's face.

Kip winked at him, turned around and gave out an ear-bursting yell. "Whoa! Holy _crap_! Take a look at _that_!" he pointed frantically to the window.

The class, including Miss Finch, immediately turned to look at the window.

"What is it? What can you see?" Miss Finch asked, panicking, her eyes switching frantically from Kip to the window.

Chandler sneaked a look at Roger, and to his delight he saw the idiot had rushed over to Miss Finch to calm her down. He grabbed for the notebook, flipped the pages to check all the work was there and replaced it with his own notebook full of ludicrous jokes and prank ideas. He gave Kip the thumbs up sign, sat back down and waited for the pandemonium to finish.

****

Rachel Green sat nervously on the edge of her seat, waiting for the important announcement to be made. Along with twenty other girls, she was sitting in the Gym hoping that she was going to be picked to be in the cheerleading squad that year. Now that she was finally a Junior Rachel was eligible to be part of this exclusive group of girls…and she couldn't wait.

"Please say my name, please say my name," she whispered, crossing her fingers.

"Ok, this year's selection for Lincoln High's cheerleading squad was tough," Tanya, the captain of the squad, told them all. "You should be proud to even get _this _far."

"Ok whatever, just _say _the _names_!" Rachel muttered impatiently.

"We have finally decided on two people to be in our group, and we are pleased to announce that…Mindy Lawson and Rachel Green will be in our squad!"

Rachel grinned over ecstatically at her close friend. They were both in the most honoured group in the school. Life was going to be great.

****

Monica hummed to herself as she walked to her locker at the end of the day. She was in a pretty good mood considering the bragging she'd had to put up with all day. Rachel had finally got her dream, but did she have to make such a big deal of it every single minute of the day?

She shook her head and opened her locker, shoving in the books she wouldn't need until the next day.

"Hey Monica," Ross greeted, "how's my little sister doing?"

Monica groaned. Since Ross had started Senior Year, he was being even more 'big brotherly' than usual. "I'm fine, as usual. Rachel is being a pain but apart from that…" she shrugged.

Ross looked worriedly at her. "Why are you alone?" he asked, "where are your other friends?"

Monica shrugged uncomfortably. She had neglected to tell her brother that her friends were virtually non-existent. No one wanted to be friends with a girl whose main objective was to diet, and having a brother who won the Science Fair every year didn't help either. Her obsession with her weight had paid off though – she had lost over a hundred pounds over the summer and was still going strong.

"They're around," she answered vaguely, slamming her locker door shut.

"Hmm…ok, well, I'll walk home with you if you like."

"That means no friends with you either?" Monica asked, smiling wryly, "you usually don't like to be seen dead with the lower grades."

"Oh shut up," Ross scoffed, smiling nonetheless.

They walked outside the building together, brother and sister united, at least for the next half an hour. Monica knew though that as soon as they arrived home, it would be a different story. Her parents will be doting over their gifted son and Monica will be pushed in the background, as usual.

Lately, Monica was noticing that there were a lot of 'as usual' in her life. She just wished something different would happen sometimes, something exciting that can catch her eye and make her think 'yeah, this is what life is all about'. 

One thing was for sure, Monica was beginning to get pretty tired of being in the background all the time, and she was going to make sure that changed soon. She just needed something or someone to help her come out of her shell.

****

"Chandler!" 

Chandler stopped dead in the hallway outside his dorm room, wincing slightly. That voice behind him sounded very familiar. He turned around and saw his tutor glaring at him angrily.

"You! Principle's Office! NOW!" he barked.

Chandler didn't have to ask what he had done this time. It was obvious his bright idea earlier in Geography was going to bite him back in the face.

He walked down the stairs, ignoring the calls from his roommates.

"There he goes again!"

"What do you think he's done now?"

"Go for it Chandler, keep the 'rebellion pride' up!" 

****

A few minutes later, Chandler was seated in front of Principle Wilner's desk. He shifted around nervously, waiting for his punishment.

Principle Wilner slammed down a stuffed folder and folded his arms in exasperation.

"You know what that is Chandler?" he demanded.

"Tax rebates?" Chandler quipped weakly.

"No, it is _not _tax rebates!" the Principle yelled, "Although I wish to hell it was!"

"So, what…um…is it?" 

The Principle opened the folder and pulled out a stack of papers. "These, Chandler, are complaints forwarded to me from every teacher in the school about your behaviour in their classes! You've only been back two weeks and already you've caused enough trouble that all the students put _together_ couldn't do!"

"Um…I guess things have got a bit hectic." Chandler admitted.

"Hectic? You call flour bombing your English teacher's car 'hectic'? An organised coughing fit from the entire Math class 'hectic'? I call it a disgrace Chandler, _you _are a disgrace, a… waste…of…space." He slammed his fist down, causing Chandler to jump slightly from the sudden movement.

"You forgot to mention the 'egg incident'," Chandler added feebly.

"You don't get it do you?" the Principle sighed wearily and stared at Chandler seriously. "This boarding school doesn't deal with students with no future. This school doesn't need your pranks, and I'm afraid we don't need _you_."

Chandler widened his eyes. "What-what are you saying?"

Principle Wilner sighed. "I'm afraid you've gone one step too far this time," he explained, "You are expelled from St Washington's School for Boys, in affect immediately."

"But…but Sir, you-you can't do this to me!" Chandler burst out, running his hands through his hair frantically, "I'm in Senior Year…the tennis team…"

"The tennis team will just have to do without you this time," Principle Wilner said coolly.

"But I'm the best player this school has got!" Chandler bellowed, "how are we going to win the State Championships?!"

"Unlike your opinion, St Washington doesn't revolve around one player, and we can win without your help." Principle Wilner stood up and walked over to the door. He opened it. "I called your mother half an hour ago; she told me she will pick you up tomorrow morning. Go pack your things, _now_."

Chandler continued to sit numbly in his chair. Expelled. It was his worse nightmare, had he really just threw his future away down the drain?

He looked up at his former Principle, who was now eyeing him more sympathetically.

"Chandler, maybe this is the wake-up call you need," he said gravely, "Going back to New York to live with your mom and adjusting to a new school…may not be such a bad thing. You're capable of great things, you just need to be around the right people to help you realise it."

Barely listening, Chandler walked out of the room, wondering if he was ever going to get out of the hole he had just dug himself. Further down the hallway stood Kip, he was bouncing up and down anxiously.

"Dude, what did he say?" he demanded as Chandler walked straight past without a word.

"I just got expelled," Chandler replied, continuing to walk as Kip struggled to keep up with him.

"Huh?! What are you gonna do?"

Chandler gave out a short laugh. "Not a lot I _can _do, is there?"

They climbed the stairs and walked along the floors that lead to their dorm room. They walked inside and, to Chandler's relief, their roommates were already asleep.

"Come on Chandler… don't give up without a fight!" Kip exclaimed, "I could stage this massive protest rally to save you!"

"I appreciate the offer Kip, but I really don't think that is a good idea," Chandler replied, stuffing his school clothes into a suitcase. "I think the best thing to do is just leave quietly."

"Holy crap, _you_…leave quietly? This school isn't going to be same when _you _leave." Kip said, shaking his head. "I'm going to miss you man."

"I'll miss you too Kip, especially your 'holy craps'," Chandler told him, grinning.

"So you're going back to live with your mom?"

"Yes," Chandler winced visibly as he said it, "I'm surprised she agreed to take me."

Kip chuckled. "I like your mom; she's weird but real cool with it."

"I think you'd feel differently if you had to _live _with her," Chandler shuddered, "let's just say I don't have to watch any movie versions of her books when I witness the real thing sometimes."

"holy…"

"…crap, yes," Chandler finished for him, sighing heavily.

"Can I stay with you over the holidays?" Kip asked him quickly.

"Oh for the love of…don't you have _any _dignity at all?"

"Hey, we're at an all _boys' _high school! Sometimes a guy needs to get some! Can I help it if it's your mom who might be the next in line for a bit of Kip-love?"

****

"Hello New York!" Joey cried joyfully, taking off his shades and getting out of the cab. "God I missed you!"

 "I thought you _liked_ travelling around Italy with your Aunt and Uncle," his dad protested.

"Are you kidding me? I have missed Queens so much for the last four years! I've missed my sisters, you and mom, my friends and…and…" he stopped, looking across the road at something that had caught his eye. It was a young woman walking down the opposite sidewalk, her blonde hair flapping about wildly in the breeze. 

"And what sweetie?" his mom asked.

"And I've missed _Phoebe Buffay_!" he yelled across the road. The blonde stopped dead and turned her head towards him. She broke into a grin and ran madly across the road, narrowly avoiding a car speeding by her.

"Joey Francis Tribbiani!" she screamed, jumping crazily into his arms. He spun her around, hugging her tightly. "You're back!"

Joey set Phoebe down, grinning at his old friend. "Hell yeah, I'm back baby! Lincoln High won't know what has hit them!"

The smile faded from Phoebe's face. "Oh…you're going to school?" she asked quietly.

Joey arched his eyebrow. "Yeah, I've got Senior Year to finish, if I pass that is!" he chuckled softly. "What's up?"

"I…I don't exactly go to school," Phoebe muttered.

"Of course you go to school! _Everyone _goes to school; even weird gothic kid from down the street goes to school!"

"Not me." Phoebe said, shrugging, "I never go. I think my teachers have given up on me. Ursula still goes though."

"Oh…_Ursula_," Joey said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "She's still around?"

"I haven't spoken to her since we stopped sharing a room, but yeah, she's still around." 

"How's your mom?"

As soon as he asked that question, Joey knew he had made a mistake. Phoebe's face had turned a shade paler and her eyes shone with tears that threatened to spill.

"My god…Pheebs…what happened?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"She's…she's dead."

"Oh my god, when? How?"

Phoebe sighed and took a deep breath. "She…um…killed herself," she replied softly. "Put her head in our oven and never came back out. It's been three years now."

"Oh god, that's awful…wait a minute…head in the _oven_?"

"Yeah, explains a lot, doesn't it?"

"Well I just thought she liked cleaning it a lot." 

The pair walked down the neighbourhood to Joey's old home and stopped outside the driveway.

"Well, I worked out we must have kept interrupting her as we barged into the kitchen asking for cookies," Phoebe explained, "when I think about it, she should have been dead by the time we reached elementary school."

"Phoebe, I am so, _so _sorry," Joey said sincerely, "I wish I had been here. How-how did Ursula take it?"

Phoebe gave out a bitter laugh and looked up at the sky briefly before resting her eyes back on Joey. "She actually considered going on vacation with some school friend's family on the day of the funeral."

"No _way_, she didn't…" Joey muttered, wide eyed.

"No, she didn't. My grandmother threatened to cut her out of her will if she did that. That's who I live with now-my grandmother."

"Is that the one who wants a virtual reality funeral?" Joey asked, chuckling slightly.

"Yeah, and she has no idea I don't go to school," Phoebe replied, grinning, "She's married to a former NBC reporter, did you know that?"

"Yeah, whatever, and your birth father is a tree surgeon…" Joey said, rolling his eyes.

"Actually, he is!"

"Oh my god!" Joey gazed at his friend in awe, "has it really been only four years? We have such a hell of a lot to catch up on!"

"Yeah baby, I want to know how many women you seduced in Europe."

"Ahh, well, that's an interesting question…" Joey started to tell her as they walked to his front door.

****

**End of Chapter One**

:yeah, I decided to go for the separate plot lines, and in true 'love actually' style, you'll see it all come together soon!

Kip has become a 'Chan-oey' as Phoebe would call him – I hope you like him.

And just to tease you a little more, wait for the return – by popular demand – of an original character I've used before.

But of course, you MUST review before I do much else!!


	2. libraries gave us power

:hi! Hope you all had a fantastic New Year! Here is chapter 2 and health permitting – because I have a sore throat, I don't believe it not _again_ – I hope to continue my other fanfics too! 

Each chapter will focus on a couple of plots at a time, and they all link up eventually. You'll see what I mean when you read it.

**Life Starts Here**

**Chapter 2 – libraries gave us power**

Chandler walked through the wide, downstairs hallway of his mother's house and stopped outside the living room.

"Hey, mom, I'm off now. I'll see you later, ok?" he called to her, hoisting his backpack up to his shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh…right…have a good first day sweetheart!" Nora called back to him, turning her attention back to her perfectly manicured nails.

Chandler rolled his eyes and stepped out of the three floor mansion he had been living in for the past three weeks. It had been difficult trying to enrol into a school; the PTA's seemed to be wary of a 16 year old guy who had just been expelled from his boarding school in Washington. However, Lincoln High had been an exception and before Chandler knew it, it was his first day.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered, beginning to make the short journey to what he considered was going to be hell.  
****

"Hey, I'm sorry but I can't eat lunch with you today!" Rachel told Monica as they entered their homeroom class.

"Why?" Monica settled down at her usual desk, near the back of the room, and looked up quizzically.

"Um…Mr. Johnston wants to go over some math homework with me. He kind of insisted on it." Rachel giggled and sat down at the desk next to Monica.

Monica rolled her eyes and nodded, not saying anything. She knew where Rachel would really be, and it didn't have anything to do with math homework. She looked over to the desks near the window, where a small group of girls were huddled over a magazine, laughing loudly. Rachel fit in so easily with those girls, even more so since she had joined the cheerleading squad. She would be sitting with _them_ today and not Monica.

"Hey, Rachel!" one of the girls yelled, waving ecstatically, "come over here! You have just _got _to see what magazine Gina's got!"

Monica watched as Rachel leaped out of her seat and walked over to the girls in a way that showed she wasn't too eager, but could be excited enough to see the girls at the same time.

She looked down and traced the faded ink marks on her desk with her fingers. Monica would never fit in with that group, she was too…different. It wasn't that she was dull, or had a warped personality…she was just different. She didn't spend hours sitting in front of a mirror every morning before school to make sure her hair was in perfect pristine condition. She didn't spend her lunch break standing outside in the freezing cold checking out the senior guys playing basketball or soccer and talking about them at the same time. She didn't have the perfect manicured face and designer clothes that made the boys turn and stare whenever she walked to her locker.

She was just plain, normal Monica Geller who still needed to lose a few pounds...in her opinion. 

Monica Geller didn't share the inside jokes with the rest of the girls and bitch about people behind their backs. That wasn't what Monica wanted to be, so most of the time she kept her mouth shut, bit her tongue and did her work. That was her life and that was the way it was going to be.

So why was it that whenever she heard the high-pitched giggling from the direction of that window she felt so empty inside?

****

"You've _got _to be kidding me!" Joey whined, staring at his new senior teacher in disgust.

"No Joey, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you _must _repeat Junior year." Alison DeWitt, the senior year teacher, told him firmly. "Your high school studying in Italy leaves a lot to be desired. You are so far behind the rest of the grade it's not even funny."

"Oh come on Miss DeWitt, you've got to give me a chance!" Joey pleaded, slamming his hand down on the desk, "its humiliating being held back! The juniors are babies!"

"I think you would be a lot more humiliated in a few weeks' time when you take the exams and can't work out normal math from discreet math." Alison DeWitt said dryly, "You do _want _to graduate, right?"

Joey sighed miserably and nodded.

"Good," Alison said crisply, "you should go report to your new homeroom teacher right away. Mr. Bob Rafferty will make you feel comfortable in your surroundings. He's the school's councillor and mentor too."

"Fine," Joey muttered, picking his backpack up off the floor and walking out of the room.

He walked down the hallway to the classroom just next door and stopped outside. He looked through the little glass pane of the door, eyes widening. In the Senior Year classroom, the students were all seated quietly at their desks, waiting for their names to be called out on the attendance list. In this classroom, some of the juniors were seated on top of their desks, talking loudly, giggling. They didn't seem to notice the young looking, male teacher seated at his desk, a smile playing around on his lips as he watched his class.

Miss DeWitt had given the impression that if she ever caught her students so much as _sneeze _she would put them in detention for a month.

Maybe Junior Year wouldn't be so bad after all.

****

Chandler had watched Joey Tribbiani leave the classroom as he himself just stood in front of the class feeling like a loser. He wished this scholarly but pretty looking brunette-haired teacher would just direct him to a desk and leave him alone. 

"Everybody, this is Chandler Bing. It's his first day at Lincoln High, so I hope you all make him feel welcome. We all know how daunting it can be when you don't know who anybody is." She smiled at Chandler, the first smile she had given him, he noted. "Take the seat on the left in the front row next to Ross, ok?"

Chandler looked over at who Miss DeWitt was pointing to and he groaned inwardly. Ross looked like the Lincoln High version of Roger from St Washington's. 

"What a geek," he muttered as he watched Ross smile eagerly at him. He walked over and sat down.

"Hey, I hear you went to St Washington's!" Ross whispered excitedly, "that is _so _cool! Their science laboratories are supposed to be _amazing_!"

"Um…yeah," Chandler muttered back at him, "I guess they're ok."

God, was he _really _going to be seated next to this guy every morning? He felt relieved as Alison DeWitt started to do roll call. There would be no talking for at least another five minutes…or so he thought.

"Is it true you got expelled?!" Ross whispered in his ear.

Chandler sighed softly and turned to the wide-eyed student who was giving him so much attention already. "Yeah, I got expelled, so what?" he shrugged.

"It's just…I've never…met anyone who's been expelled from school before." Ross whispered, admiration spreading over his previously serious face.

Chandler couldn't help but smile. Ross probably didn't have a lot of friends at this school; he was that type of guy…quiet, shy, geeky…a pushover. Maybe he could have a bit of fun with this guy.

"Yeah, I beat up some geeky idiot in the grade below me. He was irritating so, ya know…" Chandler shrugged, biting his lip to keep from laughing. Surely any minute now Ross would laugh at the absurdity of the lie.

"Um…I see…" Ross looked at him weirdly, almost terrified and shrank away from Chandler's ear.

Chandler widened his eyes. Had Ross really just fallen for that? He really hoped there was someone who had a sense of humour in this place.

The bell rang and the class stood up to leave. As everyone pushed and shoved to the doorway, a couple of tough looking jocks tripped Ross up, sending him careering on the floor. The jocks laughed, shook their heads and walked away.

Chandler winced as he watched Ross stand up slowly, pick up his backpack and walk out of the room. Now he felt guilty for scaring the geek like that; it was obvious that Ross had enough problems without Chandler adding to them.

"Chandler!" Miss DeWitt beckoned from her desk, waving him over. As the last student left the room, Chandler watched as his teacher lifted up a file from her messy desk and leafed through it.

"Yes Miss?" he asked nervously.

Miss Dewitt looked up, eyeing him sternly. "I thought you should know that I've read your report from your previous school. Not surprisingly, it isn't that impressive in the way of conduct and behaviour. It's Lincoln's High's policy to keep an eye on individuals such as you. I've recommended you to the school's mentoring scheme."

"Huh? You mean I've got to see the councillor?!" Chandler exclaimed, "I'm not a psycho!"

"No one is saying you are, but I think it would really help you if you did see Mr. Bob Rafferty a couple of times a week during your free periods. I'm afraid you don't have a choice in this." Miss DeWitt eyed him meaningfully.

"Fine, whatever you say." Chandler muttered. He looked at his teacher nervously. "This Bob guy…is he…strict?" he asked hesitantly.

"If you mean is he going to have you lying on a couch all day, then the answer is no." Miss DeWitt replied, smiling wryly. "It could be said that he's _too _easygoing. He has a dry, sarcastic way with words though, and he'll get through to you. He is a nice guy with a lot more to him than you think. Just don't start talking about relationships; his wife died three years ago, it's a touchy subject for him."

Chandler nodded. "I wouldn't want to listen to the story of my past relationships either, so you needn't worry; I'm _not _going to bring them up."

"Good, so your first session with Bob…I mean Mr. Rafferty…is at 3.30pm this afternoon right after your last class. _Don't _be late."

"Yes Ma'am," Chandler saluted the teacher and sauntered out of the room, wondering what the rest of the day was going to bring.

****

"Monday morning and I've got Double Physics, wonderful!" Joey muttered sarcastically as he walked through the hallway. He moved out of the way as the crowd of cheerleaders from homeroom barged past. At the rear of the group, he saw the back head of a light brown-haired girl, her cheerleading skirt bouncing up and down as she struggled to keep up with the rest of the group.

"It can't be…" he muttered. He walked closer to the girl and tapped her on the shoulder. The girl stopped and turned around. As they studied each other their eyes widened.

"What?!" the girl shrieked, her hands flying to her mouth.

"Rachel Green," Joey shook his head, not believing who was standing right in front of him, "Rome, last summer …you didn't tell me you were from New York!! You _do _know who I am, right?"

"Yes I do!" Rachel snapped, suddenly giving him a stinging slap around the face. "Thanks for sleeping with me and then not writing to me! Thanks for _totally _ruining my vacation last year!" She tossed her hair, spun around on her heel and stormed off down the hallway.

Joey stared around at the sea of faces in the hallway, all eyes suddenly on him. He rubbed his stinging cheek uncomfortably. "Yeah, so she _does_ remember me!" he said loudly, laughing it off as best as he could.

****

Monica walked through the entrance of Lincoln High's library, grateful there was such a place to escape to at lunch. She was usually the only Junior in there at that time and it suited her just fine. 

She decided to keep away from some of the Freshmen who hung out in there during the first semester – the new discovery of using the computer's free internet was too hard to ignore for them for now. There were a few Seniors in that day, all studying for their mid-terms, their heads in a book. 

Monica was too afraid to approach them – they just seemed so much older and grown-up.

She found a seat in the corner of the room and picked out one of her favourite books on the shelves. She loved to escape in this book; the wonderful, unique characters giving her so much pleasure.

"_Pride and Prejudice _huh?" an amused sounding voice said just in front of her.

Monica's head snapped up, her eyes meeting with sparkling blue. She swallowed hard and shifted away from them, studying the owner of the eyes. He sat across from her at the small table; his dark brown hair wavy, an infectious smile on his face.

She gave a small smile back at him and shrugged. "I like the book." She replied.

"Well, sure, but I only know people who read that book to be in Senior Year. Its part of a new assignment we got going…but I don't remember seeing _you _in Miss DeWitt's homeroom." He grinned again, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.

Monica blushed. "I'm a Junior and as I said, I like the book." She told him, going back to reading the object of the discussion.

"You _like _it? Seriously?" 

Monica heard the surprised tone in this guy's voice and she suddenly felt irritated by it. She looked up again and sighed. "Yeah, you have a problem with that?"

"Well…yeah!" the guy replied, laughing. "The whole book is based on whether these two characters are going to get together at the end. It's so obvious they do, but did they have to drag it out so much?!"

Monica placed down her book on the table, not willing to let this guy keep his opinion. "This book is a _classic_." She protested, "You couldn't have Mr Darcy and Elizabeth get drunk, sleep together wam-bam thank you ma'am, the end! It isn't a soap opera!"

"Oh if it was a soap opera then Mr Darcy would turn out to be an alien or something," the guy contradicted her, grinning, "all I'm saying is that the book has so many missed chances for them to get together."

"Well, that's what makes the book so great." Monica told him. She picked up her book. "Now, do you mind…"

"Oh sure, no problem." The guy gestured for her to continue reading her book.

Monica began to read again, not realising the young man was still watching her read.

"I know why you're reading this, it's because of that British actor, Colin Firth!" he exclaimed.

Monica's head snapped back up once again. "Excuse me?"

"It's well known that in _Bridget Jones' Diary _the character 'Mark Darcy' – played by Colin Firth – was taken from _Pride and Prejudice_. He also played Mr Darcy in a TV version of the book." He grinned and tapped the book in Monica's hand. "You can't tell me you were interested in this before _Bridget Jones_?"

Monica blushed, annoyed that someone had seen through her reasons as to why she loved the book so much. "So what if that _is _the reason?!" she asked defensively, "I can like Colin Firth if I want to! He played a very good Darcy!"

"My god, I can't believe you just caved!" the guy howled, bent over double in mirth. "_I_ would _never _admit to reading a book just because I liked the actress who played the character on screen!"

"Ok, who the hell are you?!" Monica demanded, slamming down her book.

"Chandler Bing," he held out his hand for her shake, but she made no movement. "Ok, look, I see I've offended you. I'm sorry, Colin Firth is one hot dude." He rolled his eyes.

Monica smiled in spite of herself. "You didn't have to say _that_." She told him, "Unless you're gay or something."

"No, that would be my father, and I'm happy to say that right now I don't look _anything like him."_

Monica giggled and held out her hand to shake Chandler's. "I'm Monica Geller." She told him.

Chandler smiled keenly. "I know a Ross Geller, any relation?"

"He's my brother." Monica told him, wincing.

Chandler widened his eyes at her in mock horror. "No _wonder_ you read _Pride and Prejudice! I think even I would come in here to read it to just get away from him!"_

Monica laughed and nodded. "Yes, he's kind of a pain sometimes." She paused and studied Chandler, trying to remember if she had seen him around school. "Are you new here or something?"

"It's my first day."

"Wow, how are you coping?"

"What do you think?" Chandler asked, laughing, "Its lunch and I'm in the library arguing with a Junior about Colin Firth! I have zero friends, I've managed to annoy my Biology teacher, Mr Fisk, already and I have tonnes of homework. I'm coping quite well considering!"

"If it makes you feel any better, Mr Fisk is a jerk, I don't have any friends either and I have two Math reports to hand in tomorrow which I haven't started!" Monica spread out her arms and shrugged.

"You don't have any friends?" Chandler asked quietly, "really?"

The smile faded from Monica's face. "Well, there is one friend, but she's usually too busy to spend any time with me."

"Well, then I guess you and I should hang out sometimes!" Chandler offered, smiling.

"That would be cool…thanks." Monica said hesitantly.

"No problem." Chandler said softly, smiling reassuringly at her.

****

"So, Chandler, how was your first day?" Bob Rafferty asked pleasantly later that afternoon.

Chandler shifted around in the leather-clad chair placed in front of Bob's desk, feeling increasingly uncomfortable being in the presence of his mentor for the first time. "It was ok…I guess." He muttered, looking down at his feet.

"Look at me Chandler, I hate it when students won't look at me." Bob instructed.

Chandler looked up at his mentor, taking in the young face – he was probably about 33 years old – the dark, black hair, brown eyes and friendly smile.

"Ok so I'm looking," he said now, "what's your point?"

Bob sighed and leaned back in his chair behind the desk. "How am I supposed to help you if you don't talk to me?"

"I don't _need _any help; I get along just fine by myself."

"Yes of course you're fine," Bob said sarcastically, "on the first day, you upset Mr Fisk by saying his pet Goldfish looks like a bloated whale. Why did you do that?"

"I was trying to bring a bit of fun into a _very boring lesson!" Chandler protested, "The man was talking about plant organisms for crying out loud!"_

"You needed to know what he was teaching you, I really don't see why you had to cause such a disruption."

"Ok, I thought this was a session where _I talked and __you listened?" Chandler demanded, "I didn't come here to be lectured!"_

"Ok, so talk." Bob gestured for him to continue, "Go on!"

"Ok, my day has been _crap_. I arrived to find that I've been put next to the geek of the class – who followed me around _all day – and I had to hide out in the library. I ended up nearly getting into a fight with his _sister _over _Pride and Prejudice_!"_

"Over…_Pride and Prejudice_?" Bob's lips twitched slightly, "how did that happen?"

"Well, the sight of this pretty, high school chick spending her lunch hour with her head bent over a Jane Austen classic kind of threw me a little," Chandler confessed, "you've got to remember I went to a all boys' high school. I hadn't communicated with a girl in about three years! So I just thought, 'let's rile this girl up and find out what happens!'"

"And what _did_ happen?"

"Well…I riled her up! And she gave all she got! That surprised me!" Chandler scratched his head, "I was expecting her to go off in a huff but she stuck around. We ended up talking for a while."

"So…what you're saying is that you've met your match?" Bob prompted.

"Hell yeah! What's weird is that she doesn't have any friends! How can you _not _be friends with someone like her? She's quirky, interesting, and funny. She has weird taste in books but you can pretty much get past that after a few minutes…"

"I think your day has been more successful than you think." Bob interrupted, writing in a notebook.

"What do you mean?"

"You've made a new friend." Bob said simply, "maybe in weird circumstances, but you met someone you like. Your day has been like any other teenager's first day at a new high school."

Chandler smiled. "Hey, you're good!" he exclaimed, "Miss DeWitt was right about you!"

Bob jumped in his seat and cleared his throat. "Allison…I-I mean Miss DeWitt said something about me? What did she say?"

Chandler arched an eyebrow at Bob, wondering why he had gone all twitchy. "Um…she said you were a nice guy with a lot more to you than people think." He quoted, trying to remember.

"R-really?" Bob stuttered.

"Yes," Chandler said slowly, studying Bob closely. The mentor's cheeks had gone red a little.

"So…um…I think that will do for now Chandler," Bob said suddenly, "this was a good first session. Do you want to come back on Wednesday, same time?"

"Sure, Mr Rafferty." Chandler stood up and reached for his backpack, still wondering why the mentor was acting all flustered. He shook his hand. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye Chandler." Bob mumbled distractedly, looking out of the window.

"Weird," Chandler muttered, walking out of the office. "Just…_weird."_

**End of Chapter 2**

:bonus points if you get where the chapter title comes from, it isn't just a reference to the scenes between Mon and Chan. And oh yes, didn't you notice? Bob is back!


	3. from despair to where

:Thank you for the reviews, its flattering! Please keep them coming! And I'm glad one reviewer got the Manic Street Preachers reference! Each chapter title will have a lyric or song title from that amazing group! And the title relates to the subject of the chapter. By the way, I am flattered about something else too. I'm on the favourites list of 28 members on this website, and on 17 Author Alert lists!! How is this possible! thank you to those of you who read the updates and give me amazing reviews! I can't get my head around it.:

**Life Starts Here**

**Chapter Three – From despair to where**

Phoebe looked at her bedside clock. 4pm. Joey should be home from school by now. She sighed wearily, rolling over her bed to face the wall, away from anything significant in her room. At the foot of her bed lay her guitar, untouched since the day her mother died. As soon as the funeral had taken place and she had moved in with her Grandmother, Phoebe had put the guitar on the floor of her new room, leaving it to gather dust. 

The soft, slow ballads she used to play weren't really missed. Ursula hated her talent back when they used to share a room, and her Grandmother's hearing wasn't the best. There just didn't seem to be any point using it anymore.

A knock came from the door, and Ursula poked her head in. "Hey, weirdo, some guy at the door to see you." She told her brusquely, "he said it was important."

"Is it Joey?" Phoebe asked hopefully, sitting up.

"No," Ursula smirked, "this guy seems to be a little _old _to be Joey. Are you branching out in the geriatrics department or something? My god, your taste in men is weirder than your clothing." Ursula poked her head back out and shut the door again.

Phoebe scowled and stood up from the bed, straightening her wrinkled blouse and gypsy skirt. She walked purposefully to the door, then stopped and glanced at herself in the mirror. Staring back at her was a pale looking teenager with her blonde hair flapping uselessly around her face, and hastily braided in ribbons at the sides. She had used to take notice of her appearance, but not anymore.

She walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs to the front door. She opened it, revealing an average height, fair looking man who looked to be in his early-thirties standing outside.

The man smiled kindly at Phoebe and extended his hand. When she didn't shake it, the man coughed nervously and lowered his arm. "Um…I'm Bob Rafferty," he told her, "Are you Phoebe Buffay?"

"I might be," Phoebe said tightly, making no move to let Bob into the house, "what do you want?"

"I'm a teacher from Lincoln High School, or maybe I should say the school councillor." Bob explained, showing his Identification, "can we have a talk? Is your Grandmother in?"

"My Grandmother is staying with friends this week," Phoebe explained, "and no, we can't talk." She started to push the door closed, but Bob put his hand to it, blocking her.

"Phoebe, I really _do _need to speak with you," Bob said firmly, "I know this has been a rough couple of years for you, but you can't let your mother's death ruin your life like this. I want to help you."

Phoebe looked at him sceptically. She had lost count of the amount of people who had told her that. Her Grandmother, countless middle aged women from the social services…the list was endless.

"Phoebe, if you don't let me in, then I'm afraid I've got to get the Education Authorities and Social Services involved," Bob explained, "I don't _want _to do that, but you've missed too much of your education for it to be left unnoticed. It's entirely up to you."

She nodded and opened the door wider, letting Bob walk inside. She led him into the small but neat living room.

"I'm afraid we don't have any tea or coffee in the house," she told Bob stiffly, "Ursula is the only family member who drinks it, so there isn't a lot to go around."

"That's ok," Bob assured her, sitting down, "I won't stay long. I just want to have a little talk with you."

Phoebe sighed and sat down in a chair in the corner of the room, far away from Bob's sitting position on the couch. "Fire away," she muttered.

"Ok, Phoebe, I'm here because Lincoln High's Principal has told me about your problems attending school." Bob glanced at her before pulling out some papers from his worn briefcase, "The records show you haven't done a full day's education since you were 14. Now you're 17 so you've missed three years of school! This cannot carry on."

Phoebe shrugged, refusing to make eye contact with Bob. "I don't like school." She muttered.

"Now I don't think that's true Phoebe," Bob said quietly, "before your mom died, you were one of Lincoln High's most scholarly students. You were all set to skip Freshman Grade to become a Sophomore a year early. You _loved _school."

"That was then, this is now, and I don't…like…school." Phoebe insisted, her jaw clenching angrily.

"I know what you've been through Phoebe, and you must be hurting but…"

"You have _no _idea what I'm going through!" Phoebe shouted, tears gathering in her eyes, "she…she was my mom, my whole life revolved around her."

"I _do _know what you're going through because I've been through it myself," Bob interrupted, eyeing her kindly but firmly, "I went through it at around the same point your mom died. Three years ago, my wife was involved in a car crash. She was in a coma for three months before we all realised that she was never going to wake up. I've had to live through the pain of not being with the woman I loved with all my heart…the woman my life revolved around."

Phoebe gazed at Bob in shock, suddenly feeling guilty for shouting at him. "I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter, don't worry about it," Bob assured sadly, "I'm getting over it…moving on…getting on with my life. It means you have to too…eventually. It will hurt, but it's what you've gotta do."

"I…I don't know how…"

"Well for starters, you can come back to school," Bob smiled, "you've missed a lot of work, but you're smart enough to get around it. Ursula attends regularly, maybe she could help you?"

Phoebe laughed bitterly and looked away. "Ursula wouldn't help me even if she was offered a life time's supply of caffeine and cigarettes." She replied.

Bob looked at her, troubled. "Are things _that _bad with your twin?"

"Yeah, and it's getting worse. I thought sharing a room was bad enough, but now we just ignore each other completely. When we stand together we look like our reflections, but on the inside it's different. Her heart is made of stone, but mine isn't…at least I hope not."

Bob laughed. "Your heart isn't made of stone Phoebe and I'm sure, deep down, Ursula's isn't either. You just need to adjust to each other."

"We've tried that since birth Sir," Phoebe stood up, hinting to Bob it was time for him to leave, "and it hasn't worked. She lives her life, I live mine. Maybe I live in more despair, but I'm coping ok with it. I don't need your help; I don't need _anybody's _help."

"Does your Grandmother know you don't go to school?" Bob pressed, standing up.

"No, I throw away every letter Lincoln High sends her," Phoebe admitted, "she isn't going to get into trouble…is she?"

"Noo…" Bob said thoughtfully; "not if you return immediately. I still need to talk with her though."

"No Sir, you can't!" Phoebe panicked, grabbing his arm. She looked down at it and withdrew hastily. "she…she thinks I attend everyday! She's…she's _so_ proud of me. Please don't tell her." She gazed at Bob pleadingly and he sighed.

"Do you realise what you're asking of me?" he asked her, "I could get fired." He paused, staring at Phoebe's stricken face. "ok, look, I'll make a deal with you. If you start school again next Monday, I won't speak with your Grandmother about you tearing up those letters explaining the truancy. I'll just tell the Principal you've agreed to give school another chance after having a talk with me – which _is _actually the truth, in part."

"Oh, thank you Sir, thank you!" Phoebe shrieked, throwing her arms around him, "I won't let you down, I promise."

Bob grinned and pushed Phoebe back slightly. "no need to get carried away," he told her, "I'll still be keeping an eye on you. You'll have to work hard to keep up with the rest of your grade."

"Oh yeah…" Phoebe wrinkled her nose, "Am I going to be with the Freshmen kids?"

"No, the Principal has agreed to put you with the Juniors," Bob explained, "you're too behind to be a Senior – which is where you should be – but you're too smart to be any lower than a Junior." He looked at her sternly for a second, "You really _have _got to work hard young lady. This isn't going to be an easy ride."

"As I said, I won't let you down." Phoebe promised.

****

_One day later_

Monica pulled on her sneakers, picked up her hockey stick and walked out of the changing rooms. She walked across the fields, reaching her group. Since losing all the weight over the summer, Monica's status in Gym had changed. Before, she was just 'big fat goalie', now she was a proper part of the group, allowed to shoot for goal and pass the ball around. It still didn't make her detest the sport any less though. She was terrible at the game; she couldn't hold the ball with the stick for more than a second before the opposing team swooped in and tackled her; her accuracy at shooting at the goal left a lot to be desired. 

The hockey teacher, a tough looking, university graduate jock called David Gerhard blew his whistle and ordered the group to split into two teams. As usual, Monica was picked last. She sneaked a look across the field towards the tennis courts, watching the guy she had met the previous day in the library warm-up. Chandler Bing had surprisingly good athletic prowess. He seemed to be thriving in the lively atmosphere of the tennis court, hammering down fast serves at his poor opponent. Monica felt a shoot of admiration as she continued to watch him – if she hadn't been so far away, Monica could have sworn Chandler was trying to impress her. He was definitely going the right way about it.

"Monica, when you think you've finished watching the seniors, maybe you could join in with _this _group?" David asked sarcastically, attracting her attention at once.

Monica blushed. "Sorry," she muttered, hearing the snickers and murmurs from the class. "I'm paying attention now."

****

Chandler tossed his tennis racquet into his locker and, after quickly glancing around to check that no-one was looking, grabbed the pack of cigarettes secretly wedged right at the back, under a pile of books.

He stuffed it quickly into his jeans pocket, slammed the locker shut and sauntered off down the hallway, whistling softly. When he reached the back door, he pushed through it and walked down a little sidewalk that led to the back of the Gym. He leaned against the concrete wall, took out a cigarette, put it to his lips and lit it. He sighed happily as the poisonous, but _pleasurable _vapours inhaled into his lungs and then came out again.

"That's a filthy habit," a disapproving voice said right next to his ear.

Chandler jumped out of his skin, took the cigarette out of his mouth and hid it behind his back. He turned around guiltily, expecting to see a teacher, but instead met the eyes of Monica Geller. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Geezus, you scared me then," he muttered, putting the cigarette to his lips again, "don't do that."

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't stand watching you kill yourself for much longer." Monica told him, smiling wryly.

Chandler shrugged. "I'm only having a smoke. It's not a crime."

He watched as Monica leaned against the wall with him. "I can't understand why you would choose to corrupt your body like that," she said to him, "any reason?"

"I don't know and I don't care," Chandler replied simply, grinning slightly.

"Typical." Monica shot at him.

"Look, Monica Morals, if you knew the crap I've gone through in my life so far, _you'd _be smoking too." Chandler threw down the finished cigarette and squashed it with his foot.

"What can be so terrible about you life?"

He sighed and faced her, looking at her squarely in the eyes. "I've been smoking since the day my parents announced they were getting divorced. I was nine years old, it was Thanksgiving Day and our waiter serving the Turkey turned out to be one of the causes of my parents' spilt. His voice asking if I want 'more Turkaaaii Mistair Chandlaiiir' will forever be etched in my mind."

"Oh…I'm so sorry. Was your mom having an affair with him?"

"No, it was my father." Chandler shuddered and lit another cigarette.

"_Ohhh_…I-I see."

"Between the ages of 10-to-14 I lived with my father in Vegas, singing in his shows, plucking the eyebrows of his 'business partners' and generally making a nuisance of myself. In the end I was packed off to boarding school, where I got expelled a month ago, and here I am being lectured by a Junior on why I _shouldn't _be smoking."

"Wow…you make _my _home life sound like domestic bliss." Monica said, wide-eyed, "how have you _survived_?"

Chandler smiled down at Monica, almost amused by her captivated facial expression. "I get through the uncomfortable situations by making constant quips, causing pranks, smoking and playing tennis."

"I noticed the tennis earlier, you're very good." Monica smiled shyly at him.

Chandler flushed a little. "Thanks, I didn't even know anyone was watching." He looked at his watch, his eyes widening. "Ah." He muttered.

"What?"

"We should've been in class half an hour ago."

"Oh no! I should be taking a math test right _now_!" Monica shrieked, grabbing her bag.

Chandler grabbed her arm, stopping her from rushing off. "What's the point in going inside now?" he asked, "I've missed half of Physics…so what? It's just _one _lecture."

"But I had a _test_…"

Chandler shook his head and laughed. "Mon, it's the beginning of your first semester in Junior Grade. There are going to be a _lot _more important 'tests' than the one you've just missed. It's most likely one of those crappy 'lets see how much you know' tests. They're all garbage because no-one knows a thing when they start a new grade. Trust me, it isn't worth it. You can retake the test next time."

"But…"

"Mon," Chandler gave out an exasperated sigh, "if you barge into that deadly silent room now the teacher is going to freak out and you'll just get stressed. You won't be able to even _do _the test because you'll still be steaming from the detention that you'll have received. Do you _really _want that? Well, _do _you?"

"I guess not." Monica said doubtfully.

"Of course you don't." Chandler smiled kindly and wrapped an arm around her. "In situations such as these, I do something I really enjoy."

"What's that?"

"I hear there's a _bitching _diner down the road. Do you want something to eat? I'm starving; I could eat a cow."

Monica giggled. "That's _Jerry's Diner_. When he's in a good mood, he sometimes serves the Lincoln High student's free milkshakes."

"And when he's in a bad mood?"

"Stay away from him and don't comment on the sometimes questionable meat."

"Sounds like my kind of diner!" Chandler announced, walking down the sidewalk. He stopped and turned around, waiting for Monica to follow him. "Come on! What are you waiting for? If we go now, we'll be back in time for the afternoon classes! Free milkshakes a-go-go!"

To his delight, Monica laughed and ran up alongside him. His second day at Lincoln High had taken a better turn. He smiled to himself as he listened to Monica chatter about the waiters at _Jerry's_, hearing her laugh as he made a quip about the poor service he used to endure at a diner in Washington D.C. He couldn't have wished for better company.

****

Joey walked confidently down the hallways at lunch, flashing grins at the females on either side. Normally he would stop to talk to the ladies, maybe get their numbers, but today he had eyes for one girl only…and her cheerleading skirt continued to bounce up and down.

"Hey Rachel," he said soothingly, leaning against the lockers to face her as she opened her own. "How _u _doin'?"

Rachel slammed her locker shut and glared at him. "That kind of 'charm' won't get you _anywhere _Tribbiani!" she snapped, "why can't you just leave me alone?" she stormed up the hallway. 

Joey watched her and grinned. "I won't leave you alone until you agree to give me a second chance Rachel!" he yelled, causing students to stare as they walked past.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought it would be," he murmured thoughtfully.

**End of Chapter Three**


	4. she is suffering

:wow I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I first had writers block for a couple of weeks, but then after that I've been having trouble with my internet access. So, Allie, I will be visiting a certain forum again soon! Back to the fanfics, I like the way this one is going now, I've rewrote my 'plan' because my original gave me a block, so I'm very happy about the way I want to take this story now. Please review and give a reaction. This is a longish chapter to make up for not being around lately.:

**Life Starts Here**

**Chapter Four – she is suffering**

Ross stared out of his bedroom window, gazing at the stars seemingly winking at him in the clear, dark sky. His Astronomy Club teacher had warned his class there might be a meteor shower that night, but for once, Ross didn't have the heart to witness it. He turned his head back to his desk, lit only by his portable lampshade, and looked down at his revision book. Since finishing dinner earlier that night, he had worked solidly to try and finish his math problems before going to bed. It was now 2am though, and out of the 20 questions he needed to get done he had only answered 3 of them.

Ross had prided himself on being an intellect. The physical parts of school – Gym and sports – had never appealed. He had always come top in most subjects, especially Science, but there had always been one non-physical subject that Ross secretly struggled in and it was a secret he had harboured since the Freshman year. He couldn't do Math.

He wrote a sum in his notebook, trying to assure himself he didn't have a problem – 450 + 450 = 900. No problem. Hesitantly, he changed one of the 450's into 897. He drew a blank.

Everybody suffered the woes of Mental Arithmetic, but Ross was sure that 17 year old High School Seniors could add up 897 + 450 without using a calculator or a notebook. He couldn't though, and that wasn't the _only _problem. 

"Long Divison? Basic Algebra? Discreet Math?" he asked himself, slamming his revision book closed in disgust. "Forget about it. You're not going to pass the mid-terms Ross, so just give in."

There were people in school that could help him, Ross knew that, but he wasn't going to admit that he even _had _a problem. He was going to be _Doctor_, a PHD in _Palaeontology_!!! 

"Palaeontologists don't fail math," Ross said determinedly, "I can _do _this. I…can…do…this." He gritted his teeth and opened the book again, letting the night pass by him.

****

Monica stood in front of her homeroom teacher's desk, trying not to look guilty and ashamed. She knew what was coming.

"Monica," Bob paused and sighed softly, the disappointment evident on his young face, "what on earth possessed you to miss a math test yesterday morning?"

Monica shrugged, trying to show off the carefree attitude that seemed to come so easily when she was around Chandler. In front of her homeroom teacher and the school's councillor, however, was a different matter. She knew it, Bob knew it.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you a detention," Bob said quietly, handing Monica a small white slip of paper, "be in Room 224 at 3.30 today."

****

Phoebe Buffay took a deep breath and walked through the front entrance of Lincoln High. She wasn't due in for another week, but Bob's encouraging words to her the previous day seemed to have put a spark in her. She walked along the empty hallways, hearing the distant sounds of noisy students in their classrooms. 

This was where she belonged. How could she have been so stupid to miss it all? 

She breathed in the scents of newly sharpened pencils and chalk-dust. "I'm back," she whispered, smiling, "And I'm not going away!"

The sound of giggling and pounding footsteps stopped Phoebe in her tracks and she turned around. A group of girls all dressed in impossibly short navy blue gym skirts, green sweatshirts with the letters L.H.C.S emblazoned on the front ran past her along the hallway. They didn't stop to glance at her, not until one of the girls dropped her book and Phoebe picked it up.

"Here you go," she said shyly, smiling at the thin, pretty, brown-haired girl.

The girl stared at Phoebe for a moment, making her feel uncomfortable. She knew that her hair was a bit of a mess and her clothes looked like they belonged to a rag-doll compared to this girl's perfectly styled layers and fashionable heeled shoes.

"Um…thanks," the girl nodded curtly, seemingly trying to hide a smirk at the corner of her mouth. She turned on her heel and chased after the rest of the girls.

"Come on Rachel!" they yelled at her, "Mr Rafferty is going to do his nut in if we don't make it to homeroom!"

Mr Rafferty? The name made Phoebe's eyes light up. If she followed these girls, maybe she'd find her way to the right classroom.

A few minutes later, the group of girls stopped outside the closed door of a classroom and barged through it.

"Sorry we're late Sir! We just got a bit delayed!"

"The time just flew!"

Bob Rafferty rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and motioned for the girls to sit down. "ok, ok, just sit down at your desks and don't let it happen again."

Phoebe tried to sneak over to an empty desk at the back of the room, but was stopped in her tracks by Bob's voice behind her. She turned around sheepishly.

"Phoebe! Welcome back!" he said genially, "I wasn't expecting you in this week."

Phoebe shrugged uncomfortably, feeling a red flush creeping up her neck. She caught sight of Joey staring at her open-mouthed at the side of her and she nodded at him in acknowledgement.

"Sit down at the desk near Monica," Bob told her gently, staring at her in understanding, "I was just about to do roll call."

She nodded and sat next to the eager looking brunette in the centre of the room.

"Hey, welcome to Lincoln." Monica greeted her. "You'll be fine once you've settled in. Just let me know if you need a tour or anything."

"I know that. I've been here before; I don't need any help." Phoebe replied shortly, taking out her notebook. She tried to ignore the hurt and confused look on the girl's face, and knew she should apologise for her abruptness, but all Phoebe could see was the look of disgust on that cheerleader's face in the hallway before. Who said that Monica would be any different in the end?

****

As Phoebe sat down at her table at lunch, Ursula walked by and paused by her chair.

"On your own weirdo?" she sneered.

Phoebe scowled. "Joey is on his way down. Anyway, I don't see _you _with anybody either!"

Ursula flopped down in the chair opposite Phoebe and rolled her eyes. "I'm on my way to cheerleading practice," she pointed out stonily, "I don't need an escort to get there. I'm not a loner like you."

"Trouble Pheebs?" Joey said airily as he shoved Ursula out of the way to sit in her seat.

"None at all," Phoebe smiled at him and then turned back to Ursula. "Don't you have meeting with some frivolous girls right now?" she asked sweetly.

Ursula tossed her hair and walked away from the table.

Joey shuddered. "She's worse than the Green sisters," he muttered.

"Who are the Green sisters?" Phoebe asked, laughing.

"Rachel, Amy and Gill." Joey explained, munching on a giant sandwich, "Rachel's in our grade, but Amy's in Sophomore Grade and Gill's in Freshman. Rachel isn't too bad but her sisters give me a pain in the neck."

"I think I know Rachel," Phoebe said quietly, looking down at her plate.

"She's the cheerleader with some dodgy bangs but she's got a great new nose…" Joey said, grinning. 

Phoebe looked at him sharply. "You don't _like _her do you?" she asked, shocked. "Didn't you hear what she did to me at the water fountain half an hour ago?"

"Oh, that," Joey waved his hand dismissively, "I'm sure that was just a misunderstanding."

"She _accused _me of tripping her up!" Phoebe exclaimed; "she yelled and screamed at me in front of her friends. It…it was humiliating!"

"Whoa…whoa Pheebs, it's ok!" Joey exclaimed, taking her hand, "I'll fix it, don't worry."

"You'll 'fix' it?" Phoebe asked incredulously, "Are you 'in' with her little gang or something?"

"No," Joey said, irritated, "but I know Rachel pretty well so I'll tell her to lay off you, ok?"

"I don't need any favours thanks!" Phoebe snapped, standing up and picking up her tray, "I can cope with this on my own!" She walked off.

"Sure you can, sure you can." Joey muttered, biting his sandwich angrily. He stared after his friend worriedly as she stormed out of the cafeteria.

****

"Room 224…" Monica muttered as walked along the hallways at the end of the day. She stopped outside the correct room and walked in. It was almost empty apart from a couple of freshmen sitting at the back talking quietly.

"So you got caught too huh?" a familiar voice said, making her whirl around. She saw Chandler grinning at her sheepishly.

"Well, hey, I wonder why _you're _here," Monica greeted him sarcastically.

"Did Bob yell at you?" Chandler asked as they both sat down.

Monica sighed. "No, he just looked disappointed in me. I think that's worse in a way. Mr Rafferty is a nice man and I don't like to let him down."

"You got off lucky," Chandler scoffed, "Alison DeWitt exploded at me when she gave me my detention slip. She said that if I was going to survive at Lincoln, I had better clean up my act fast."

"Well, I just can't _wait _for Senior Year," Monica muttered, "Miss DeWitt sounds like a tyrant."

"That will do Monica," a stern voice said at the doorway. Bob glared at her and walked into the room. "Don't let me catch you saying things about Miss DeWitt or any other teacher like that again, do you understand?"

Monica blinked at him in surprise. "Sorry Sir," she muttered. She glanced at Chandler and widened her eyes at him.

Bob sat down at the desk facing the front of the room. "As punishment for your truancy, you will both stay in here for a whole hour. Use that time to get your homework done." Bob opened up a book of his own and started to read.

"So, what work have you got to do?" Chandler whispered to Monica.

"Nothing." Monica whispered back, grinning. "It's all in my locker."

"So I guess we just keep talking in whispers until our time is up!" Chandler glanced at Bob, who had become absorbed in his book. "What's eating him?" he asked, "he looks upset. And I heard that when Bob does detentions he usually lets the students go after about ten minutes! But a whole hour for us?!"

"Maybe he's just had a bad day," Monica suggested.

"Hmm…" Chandler looked thoughtfully at Bob. "You know, Miss DeWitt only gave my detention slip to me a few minutes before I had _come_ here. I know she can be strict, but her lecture to me was way out of character even for her. She was fine at homeroom so what has bothered her between then and now?"

"So, both our homeroom teachers are in bad moods," Monica shrugged carelessly, "that's not exactly unique."

"Hey, guys," Chandler and Monica turned around to the voice and saw the nervous freshman called Dave staring at them. "Nina and I know what's up with Mr Rafferty."

"Yeah?" Monica asked sceptically. She didn't trust this year's freshmen at all; they all seemed to spend their time hanging out in the hallways causing fights and cutting classes all the time.

"Yeah, apparently he had a huge bust-up with Miss DeWitt earlier in the day." Dave explained, grinning, "they were really going for it in the teacher's lounge. Something about Bob's soft attitude towards his Junior class." He stared pointedly at Monica, who flushed. "Nina heard the whole thing. That's how we ended up in here; we were eavesdropping on their conversation."

"Interesting," Chandler murmured, "thanks kids; that helped a lot." He turned back around to the front of the room and leaned in closer to Monica. "That makes a lot of sense," he whispered to her.

Monica frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

Chandler grinned at her. "That's for me to know and you to find out sweetheart."

****

An hour later, Chandler and Monica left the detention room and walked contentedly together down the hallway. "That was a pretty cool detention," Chandler commented, stopping outside the exit doors.

Monica laughed. "Yes, when you started singing Tears for Fears I think Bob had just about enough of us for one day."

"Speaking of whom, I've got a session with him in about 10minutes from now." Chandler murmured, checking his watch. "I'd better not keep Romeo waiting."

"_Romeo_?" Monica choked out, laughing, "since when is Mr Rafferty a Romeo?"

Chandler winked at her. "I really must not say," he told her mysteriously, "hey, I may be wrong about what I'm thinking…" he shrugged.

Monica folded her arms. "Ok, spill," she ordered, "what is it about Bob Rafferty that you know that I don't? What's he done?"

"Well, he actually hasn't _done _anything," Chandler explained, "but he sure as hell wants to!"

"What?"

"Oh my god, Monica, open your eyes! The next time you see Miss DeWitt and Mr Rafferty together, you come back to me and tell me what you think."

"Wait a sec, are you saying…" Monica widened her eyes.

"No, they're not, but I think they want to. My last meeting with Bob was kinda strange. I started telling him about some of the complimentary stuff Miss DeWitt had been saying about him and he got kinda…flustered." Chandler chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"So Bob Rafferty is in love with Allison DeWitt?!" Monica shrieked.

"Yeah, that's why he's all upset about this fight he's had with her today! And Miss DeWitt is just the same; they obviously crazy about each other."

Monica shook her head. "Well…you just never know what happens in schools these days."

Chandler grinned. "It's going to be interesting watching those two now that we know. I think we'd better keep this to ourselves though, yeah?"

"Definitely." Monica checked her watch and gasped. "Oh crap! I'm late home! My mom is going to kill me." She quickly reached up to give Chandler a quick kiss on the cheek and rushed through the doors to outside. "I'll see you tomorrow!" she yelled back at him.

"Um…see you!" Chandler spluttered, touching the place on his cheek that Monica kissed. 

He walked outside slowly and watched as Monica dashed up the sidewalk, chasing after a bus that has just passed her stop. He laughed as she almost tripped over. 

A happy feeling spread all over his body and he felt as light as air as he walked back inside to meet Bob in his office. He had never enjoyed a detention before, but this one had been unique. As the pair had their hushed conversations over their childhoods, relationships and interests, he had found himself wanting it to last for more than an hour. As he touched his cheek one last time, the faint smudge of Monica's lipstick rubbed against his fingers and he sighed. 

Then he stopped dead in the hallway, realising something.

"Oh no…" he moaned.

****

"So, you're in love with this girl you know?" Bob asked slowly, gazing at Chandler seriously.

Chandler nodded worriedly. "Yes, I…I think so."

"I don't think I need to ask who this 'girl' is, do I?" Bob continued, smiling wryly.

"Is it _that _obvious?" Chandler whispered.

"In each of our sessions, you mention Monica at least once. I've just spent the last hour listening to you and Monica talking in what was _supposed_ to be a silent detention room." Bob explained, rolling his eyes. "I'm not deaf. You were giving each other your life stories. In the end, I didn't have the heart to stop it."

"So…what do I do?" Chandler panicked, "I've never felt this way before, it's freaking me out Bob!"

"Does she feel the same way?" 

"I don't think she does." Chandler said miserably, "I've seen her staring at this Joey guy in the cafeteria sometimes. I've got this feeling she likes him."

"Ahh…Joey Tribbiani," Bob mused, "A bit of a character, that boy."

"Wonderful," Chandler muttered sarcastically.

"Being a character doesn't mean he's 'good' all the time Chandler," Bob pointed out quickly, "Joey has got his faults; being a terrible academic student among them. He needs to be taken aside and shown the error of his ways, especially on how he treats the females around here."

"If he hits on Monica I'll…I'll…"

"There'll be no jealous fights in this school;" Bob said firmly, "Apart from the detention today, your track record at Lincoln High has been good so far. Let's keep it that way, ok?"

"Ok," Chandler grumbled, "but it doesn't mean I'm going to let guys like Joey Tribbiani use Monica."

Bob sighed. "Ok, let's just leave that for now. How's the tennis going…"

****

Monica walked as fast as she could back to her house. She couldn't believe the time had flown as much as it had. She glanced up the road, checking for another bus, but none came. Just ahead of her, she noticed two familiar people walked along together on the sidewalk. 

"Joey and Phoebe," she whispered.

She watched as Joey and Phoebe stopped walking, continued to talk for a while and then parted ways at the end of the block. Phoebe walked on ahead, Joey turned a corner into a private neighbourhood. Monica hurried to catch up with Phoebe and tapped her on the shoulder. She'd had a tiny crush on Joey since he had joined her homeroom a few days ago and now she was curious about how Phoebe knew him.

"Hi," Phoebe glanced at Monica and continued to walk on.

"Hey…um…how was your first day back?" Monica asked casually, falling into step beside her.

"It was ok," Phoebe said woodenly.

Monica stared at Phoebe strangely. There was something about this girl that intrigued her; she definitely knew that Phoebe did _not _have a good day.

"I would just ignore Rachel's ways if I was you," she suggested hesitantly, "the two of us have grown up together on the same block of houses for years. She really isn't all that bad…"

Phoebe stopped dead and, to Monica's shock, glared at Monica ferociously. "Why does everyone I've spoken to think that spoilt brat isn't 'all that bad'?!"

Monica opened her mouth then closed it again, letting Phoebe speak some more.

"If you're a friend of hers, why are you speaking to _me_?!" Phoebe continued, tears filling up in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks, "she's…she's horrible!"

Monica wrapped an arm around Phoebe's shoulders and let her cry. "I haven't spoken to Rachel in days," she tried to explain, "she's been too busy with her other friends to pay attention to me. You're not the only one who feels out of place."

"You're not out of place," Phoebe sniffed loudly and wiped her nose with a tissue, "Everyone likes you. You're the envy of every girl in Lincoln High right now."

Monica laughed. "Where did you get _that _idea from?!" she asked, shocked.

"You've started hanging out with that Senior from St Washington's, haven't you?" Phoebe asked her, sounding like it was obvious.

"Do you mean Chandler?" Monica looked at her, confused, "I've hung out with him a couple of times, but what has that got to do with my popularity?"

"It just shot up by a 100%," Phoebe smiled ruefully, "I've only been back a day, but I can already tell who the 'guy of the moment' is alright. All the young Freshman girls hang out at the tennis courts every lunchtime to watch Chandler Bing play."

"You're kidding me, right?" Monica asked laughing, "You mean, I've become the envy of everyone at Lincoln because I'm friends with some kind of stud?"

"That's exactly what I mean."

The pair walked on in silence. Monica's head was spinning. Was there something about Chandler that she had missed?

Sure, his physique on the tennis court had impressed her, and his eyes shone a lovely blue, and his smile was contagious…but was that supposed to be endearing or something?

She decided the next time she saw Chandler, she would check out these qualities more carefully.

They stopped outside Monica's house and she touched Phoebe's arm. "Hey…um…do you wanna come in for a drink?" she suggested, "you might know my brother Ross, you was in his grade a couple of years ago."

"Yeah, I know Ross Geller…" Phoebe hesitated, "are you sure you want me to come in?"

"Of course I do!" Monica exclaimed. She looked at Phoebe with curiosity. "You haven't been to many friends' houses, have you?" she asked carefully.

Phoebe flushed and looked down at the ground. "I guess I've been too occupied to have friend's recently." She admitted.

"Well, maybe now is the time to start having some friends." Monica hinted, nodding towards her house.

Phoebe looked at her and grinned. "Ok then, I'll come in…but just for a short while."

"It's a deal."

*****

**End of Chapter Four**


	5. judge yourself

:yes, another update at long last! please review!:

**Life Starts Here**

**Chapter 5 – Judge Yourself**

As Rachel walked into the cafeteria with her cheerleading friends for lunch, Joey watched her thoughtfully on the other side of the room. So far, his attempts to ask her out on a 'reunion' date had been disastrous. He had been slapped round the face on numerous occasions.

This time, however, he had a plan.

He walked over to her table, and cleared his throat. All the cheerleaders looked up from their meals and started giggling. Rachel turned around and looked at Joey with exasperation.

"Don't you _ever _give up?" she snapped.

Joey cleared his throat again and, after hesitating for a second, got down on his knees.

"Oh my god!" Mindy exclaimed, and immediately started giggling again.

"What are you _doing_?" Rachel hissed at him, her face turning bright red.

"Rachel Green!" Joey said loudly, causing everyone to look up from various tables. "I will _never _give up until you say yes! I'm sorry for the way I treated you in Italy, I was a fool. All I'm asking for is one date. There'll be no funny business, no kissing, no groping…just a _date_."

"I can't believe you're _doing _this…" Rachel muttered, her hands covering her face.

"…and may I say that you look _abysmal _today." Joey finished, smiling widely.

Rachel removed her hands and stared at Joey in horror. "You _creep_!" she yelled, "I can't believe you just said that! You know I almost _fell _for that speech?!"

She slapped Joey round the face and stormed off.

Joey looked around the room confusedly. "What did I _say_?!" he demanded.

* * *

A few tables away, Chandler watched the scenes in amusement. He turned to Ross, who was looking at Joey with a look of pure hatred. 

"Wow, you look ready to kill him," he commented, grinning.

"I hope Rachel is ok," Ross muttered, looking down at his plate.

"I _knew _you liked her. I saw you down at the track this morning. You were practically drooling over her as she did that back-flip."

Ross frowned at Chandler. "Don't be ridiculous."

Chandler rolled his eyes. He really wished he hadn't asked Ross to sit with him for lunch today, but he knew he couldn't very well ignore Monica's brother forever.

"So…um…how's the math assignment going?" he asked now, trying desperately to get a conversation going.

To Chandler's surprise, Ross' eyes blazed angrily at him. "Fine," He said shortly, "and what do you care?"

"Whoa big guy, I'm just having a normal conversation here!" Chandler exclaimed, eyes widening. "What's the matter with you?"

Ross sighed. "It's nothing. There's nothing the matter with me."

"Yes there is," Chandler said knowingly, "come on, tell me, we're…friends…aren't we?"

Ross looked suspiciously at him. "Friends?" he asked uncertainly.

"Sure!" Chandler assured him enthusiastically. Suddenly, he felt sorry for the shy student sitting in front of him. It was obvious Ross didn't have a lot of 'friends'.

"Ok…um…I'm having trouble in Math," Ross whispered, his cheeks flushing.

"You are?" Chandler asked him, amazed. He had assumed Ross was at the top of the class in every subject they did. He certainly was in Science and History.

"Yes, I am." Ross said fiercely, "go on…laugh at me."

"I'm not laughing at you." Chandler replied. He tapped his chin thoughtfully and then he suddenly smiled. "How about I help you with the math?"

"You…want to help me?" Ross asked, looking at him in shock.

"Why not? Chandler shrugged, inwardly congratulating himself on a wonderful idea. If he helped Ross with his math, he could spend more time with Monica.

"Ok, do you want to come round my house tonight?" Ross asked him excitedly, "mom and dad won't mind."

"Tonight?" Chandler looked at Ross in surprise; he hadn't expected the boring process of tutoring to start so soon, but if it meant seeing Monica…

"Ok, what time?"

"After school? That will give us the whole evening to get through the basics, and I really need help on my algebra too…"

As Ross chattered on, Chandler leaned back against his chair, a contented smile on his face.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Bob said slowly, staring at Chandler incredulously. "You're tutoring a guy in math so you can get close to his sister?" 

Chandler nodded.

Bob continued to look at him silently for a moment and then began to laugh. "Well, I'll say one thing, you've got balls."

Chandler frowned. "Are you making fun of me?"

Bob stopped laughing and looked thoughtful. "Well, not exactly, but I do find it quite amazing the lengths you will go to just to get the girl you love."

"I've got to do _something_," Chandler protested, "Monica has no idea what I'm feeling for her, if I don't spend more time with her out of school, how will she ever know?"

"You're forgetting one small thing," Bob interrupted, smiling again, "more often than not…you're going to spending an awful amount of time with her _brother_."

"I'll get round that," Chandler said confidently, "I mean, how hard will tutoring math to Ross Geller be? The guy's a genius!"

* * *

"No…no…_no_." Chandler mumbled, slapping his forehead in frustration, "You don't do it like that. Haven't you been listening to me at _all_?" 

"Of course I have!" Ross snapped. "It's not _my_ fault you're not a very good teacher!"

Chandler sighed and fell face first on Ross' bed. He groaned into the pillow. "This isn't working." He grumbled.

"Tell me something I _don't _know." Ross muttered.

Chandler lifted his head up from the pillow and frowned at Ross furiously. "It's not about me being a good enough teacher; it's about your concentration!" he exploded, sitting up. "Your head has been everywhere tonight. What is the _matter_ with you?"

Ross sighed miserably. "Sorry man, I just keep thinking about what happened at lunch today."

"Oh for god's sake, nothing will _ever _happen with Rachel if you don't _say_ something! She probably doesn't even know your name right now."

"If that's supposed to make me feel better, then you've failed miserably." Ross told him sourly.

"I'm just making a point that's all." Chandler sighed and looked at his watch. "Listen, I've gotta go now, it's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow in homeroom."

Chandler walked out of Ross' room, almost colliding with Monica in the hallway.

"Oh… sorry!" Monica exclaimed. She grinned at the expression on Chandler's face, "Ross giving you a hard time, huh?"

Chandler nodded, grimacing. "You could say that." He muttered.

Monica looked sympathetically at him. "Don't worry about my brother too much. He's just a little…intense."

"Intense only just about covers Ross' issues." Chandler murmured, thinking of Rachel.

"Ross is a big boy, whatever is bothering him he can handle it," Monica insisted. She looked at her watch. "Hey…um…it's only 9.30! Do you want to take a walk someplace?"

Chandler furrowed his eyebrow at her, his heart leaping. "Isn't it past your curfew now?"

Monica sniffed. "I'm 16. As far as _I'm _concerned I don't have a curfew."

Chandler grinned. "Are you just telling me that now or do your parents know this already?"

Monica blushed. "Yeah, well, I guess it _is _a little late." She muttered. She turned around on her heel and walked towards her bedroom.

"Hey wait, where are you going?" Chandler blustered, chasing after her.

Monica opened her bedroom door and turned around to face him. "You wouldn't want to disappoint my parents now, would you?" she snapped.

"Hey, whoa. I never said that!" Chandler cried, his eyes widening, "I was just pointing out that if your parents caught you outside 'after hours' you could get into huge trouble!"

"And this is coming from _you _who can barely last 24 hours without getting into trouble!" Monica told him, smiling wryly. "Goodnight Saint Chandler." She closed the door firmly in his face.

"Oh yeah, sure! Goodnight to you too!" Chandler called sarcastically through the door.

"Geez, talk about a touchy subject." He muttered to himself as he walked home. "At the rate I'm going, we'll be dating when I've turned _40_…in the next life!"

* * *

Joey stared blankly at the teacher as she gave a lecture on the British monarchies. 

"Ughh…" he moaned, leaning his forehead on the desk. He felt a tap on his shoulder and immediately shot his head back up. The teacher was still continuing her lecture, obviously giving the indication that she wasn't the one who had interrupted Joey's slumbering. He looked all around until he met the eyes of Rachel.

She didn't say a word to him. Instead, she passed him a piece of folded paper, smiled slightly and then faced the teacher again.

Joey unfolded the paper, curiosity filling his mind.

_I'm sorry about earlier. I would love to go out on a date with you. Meet me by the lake at __Central Park__ at __9pm__ tonight._

_Rachel_

Joey grinned widely and looked up at Rachel. He nodded, folded up the note and put it into his shirt pocket.

* * *

"So, what's the catch?" Mindy asked Rachel suspiciously as they both walked home from school. 

Rachel looked at her with feigned innocence. "There's no catch." She said, grinning.

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Yeah right girl. A few hours ago you couldn't _stand _Joey Tribbiani. Now you wanna go out on a date with him?"

"Ok, maybe it isn't how it seems," Rachel admitted, smiling mysteriously.

"No surprises there. Spill it."

"You know how I've been trying to get Chip Matthew's attention for months now?"

Mindy grinned. "I think so." She replied sarcastically.

"I've decided the way to win Chip's heart is to make him _jealous_." Rachel explained. "While Joey and I are on our 'date', Chip's friends are going to arrange for Chip to see us."

Mindy frowned uncertainly. "This doesn't sound right. What if Joey finds out? He'll be really annoyed that you used him."

"No he won't," Rachel scoffed, "he'll soon find some other poor girl to sleep with. This plan is perfect. Joey gets his date; I get Chip."

Mindy shook her head. "Has anyone ever told you how devious you have become lately?"

Rachel grinned. "I know. Isn't it great?"

* * *

Joey walked through Central Park, excited about his date with Rachel. He knew that he treated girls badly, but this time he vowed to be different. Rachel was different to any girl he had ever gone out with before. She was feisty, adventurous and had an endearingly sweet side to her that touched him. 

He was so busy thinking about ways to impress Rachel on their date that he failed to see a young woman step right into his path. He crashed into her.

"Oh…Joey! Thank god!" The girl said, steadying herself against his shoulder.

Joey recognised the girl to be Mindy Lawson, Rachel's cheerleading best friend.

"Hey, sorry about that Mindy." He apologised, "I was too busy day dreaming."

"About Rachel?" Mindy sneered, shaking her head. "Whatever you do, don't trust that girl an inch."

Joey furrowed his brow. "Why not?"

"Because she's _using _you Joey!" Mindy said, patting his shoulder. "She only wanted to go out on a date with you to make Chip Matthews jealous."

Joey paled. "W-What?"

Mindy stepped closer to him. "I'm telling the truth," she whispered. "She's arranged for Chip to see the two of you together tonight." She smiled flirtatiously at him. "Pretty devious huh?"

Joey clenched his fists angrily. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

Mindy nodded slowly and wrapped an arm around him. "Yes. And I'm _really_ sorry to be the one to tell you." She stroked his face and looked him in the eyes.

"You don't need her," she continued, kissing him on the cheek. "Why don't we get out of this cold air and go get some coffee." She stepped back and smiled suggestively.

It took all of Joey's willpower not to throw up. This girl was as bad as Rachel. He'd hate to be part of a group like the Lincoln High Cheerleader Squad. How could they call themselves friends if all they did was stab each other in the back?

"I don't think so," he replied coolly. "You're just like her, maybe worse. Girls like you make me sick."

"I'm offering myself to you on a plate," Mindy said, widening her eyes, "I heard you'd get any girl into bed." She stepped closer and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Come on. I'll make you forget about the _common _cheerleaders. I'm not like them. I could make you _really _happy."

Joey breathed in Mindy's perfumed neck. The old Joey would have said 'yes'. He liked the old Joey too. He was so carefree, didn't care about anything…and the way Mindy was breathing on his neck was starting to get hard to ignore. Who cared if this was Rachel's friend or not? Who cared if Mindy was just using him to get one up on her friend? Those kind of issues had never bothered him before. He started to respond to her light kisses and ran his hands down her body. He felt her respond to his touch and began to kiss her hungrily…

Then the other Joey came into his mind. It was the Joey that would never consider sleeping with a girl like Mindy. He had more self-respect than this.

He pulled away and looked at Mindy in disgust, pushing her away. "No, I can't do this. I'm not like that anymore."

Mindy shook her head and laughed. "You don't know what you're missing." She said, smiling widely at him and walking away. "Call me when you change your mind." She called.

Joey breathed deeply and closed his eyes. What was _wrong _with him? He had never felt so disgusted with himself in his entire life.

"Joey?" A soft voice said in his ear.

Joey opened his eyes and saw Rachel standing in front of him, a look of concern spreading across her model-like face.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

Joey looked angrily at her. "Don't play that game with me."

Rachel widened her eyes at him. "What game? I got worried when you didn't arrive at out meeting place so I came to look for you. Why-why are you looking at me like that?"

"I know what this night is all about." Joey said grimly. "I know you're only dating me to make Chip Matthews jealous."

Rachel paled. "Joey…I…let me explain."

"I don't _need _any explanations. I know it all." Joey stepped away from her. "I can't believe I fell for that. I can't believe I actually _thought _you wanted to _be _with me."

Rachel's eyes started to brim with tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise…"

"What?" Joey interrupted, "didn't realise what? That I _liked _you? I wanted to date you Rachel. I wasn't just after sex."

"That's…that's all you're _usually _interested in…" Rachel stammered.

"You're not even denying that's all you wanted from me." Joey looked at her in disgust. "When you wake up in the mornings, don't you ever look in the mirror and hate yourself? When I met you in Italy last year, you weren't like this. You've changed so much."

"I…I know." Rachel whispered. "You're right. I didn't realise before now."

Joey shook his head sadly. "You used to be so sweet…so lovely. I never thought I'd see you turn into girls like Ursula and Mindy."

"I'm _not _like them…am I?" Rachel back away in horror.

"Yes." Joey looked angrily at her. "Go home Rachel. Sort yourself out." He walked away from her, feeling his heart break.

Rachel looked after him, the tears streaming down her cheeks. "What have I done?" she whispered.

**End of Chapter 5**

:Will Rachel change her ways? Will she make better friends? And will Monica EVER figure out that Chandler likes her? Find out soon! Lol how's that for a promo?


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